


Day 7: Fever

by MadhouseVagabond



Series: 30 Day Whump Challenge 2018 [7]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: 30 Day Whump Challenge, Angst, Day 7, Fever, Gen, Sickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-27 00:58:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,421
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15674820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadhouseVagabond/pseuds/MadhouseVagabond
Summary: Michael and Jeremy are on a mission to save their friend.





	Day 7: Fever

Gavin groaned in pain as he lay on the bed, heavy blankets covering him. Beside him, Michael sat with a worried expression while Geoff and Jack went about examining the lad. He'd been fine a few days ago and now he was sicker than he'd ever been before. Ryan and Jeremy stood in the doorway with grim expressions on their faces and would glance at each other every now and then.

 

"Is-is he gonna be okay Geoff?" Jeremy asked after a moment.

 

"I don't know Lil J, his fever is growing worse, his temperature is through the roof," Geoff said as he felt Gavin's forehead.

 

"Ryan, go get me some fresh cool water please," Jack asked handing a water basin over to the gent who nodded and dashed outside to the water pump, Jeremy at his heels.

 

"Stay with me boi, you hear me? Fight this!" Michael spoke softly and reached out, holding one of Gavin's clammy hands tightly in his own.

 

Gavin smiled weakly and nodded, his voice all but gone from all the coughing and screaming in pain he'd been doing the last day and a half. He felt so hot but the others wouldn't allow him to kick off the blankets, telling him something about how the heat would actually help burn his fever out or some bullshit nonsense. He was tired and everything hurt, especially his head and chest. A throbbing headache pounded away on the inside of his skull as if a little man were inside hammering away at his brain. His chest burned and felt tight from congestion, and his face felt like it was a swollen balloon, his sinuses completely clogged. His throat was on fire from all the drainage and he was sure he'd swallowed more nasty gunk than blew it out or coughed it up.

 

"Geoff he's not doing too great. We need medicine," Jack said urgently looking up through his glasses at his friend. Geoff frowned and looked down at the forlorn figure lying on the bed.

 

"I know, but the nearest store is miles away. Is there time to get there and back?" he asked.

 

"I'll go!"

 

The two turned to see Michael looking up at them, resolve in his brown eyes. The gent's looked at each other before turning back to Michael.

 

"It's a long way Michael, are you sure?" Jack asked. Michael stood and looked down at a panting Gavin before nodding his head.

 

"I hate seeing him like this. I gotta do something. Please Geoff, I have to help somehow!" he cried. Geoff nodded and walked to a cupboard, pulling out enough money for medicine and handing it to the lad.

 

"Tell the doctor his symptoms and how long he's been this way. He'll know what to do. Take Jeremy with you," he instructed.

 

Michael nodded and bolted out the door, running out of the log cabin and finding Jeremy with Ryan as they gathered water. He explained what was going on, Jeremy giving Ryan a worried glance and a quick hug before running off with Michael in the direction of the town. They'd done this before, run to town, but never at night and never with this much urgency. They kept their eyes out for wild animals and dangerous places as they ran, hoping they could get to the doctor in time.

 

Every time Michael felt like stopping or slowing down, the image of Gavin on his bed coughing and moaning in pain spurred him to go faster. He wouldn't let this fever take Gavin like it had taken his parents all those years ago, the one that took Geoff's family in their sleep, Ryan's brother, and Jeremy's sister. He refused to let another person he cared about die while he sat around and watched.

 

 _Hold on Gavvy, just hold on a bit longer,_ he thought.

 

The two Lads eventually stumbled onto the outskirts of the town, panting and gasping for breath. Michael pushed Jeremy ahead of him and the two lurched towards the small hospital. Michael pounded on the door and soon a light shown through the window and a tall, large man opened the door wearing a nightgown and cap and looking very sleepy.

 

"Doctor Burns?" Michael painted as he caught his breath.

 

"Yes?" Burnie Burns asked.

 

"We need you're help sir! Please! It's my friend Gavin, he's really sick and needs medicine. Please help or he's gonna...he's gonna..." Michael couldn't finish the thought, not wanting to.

 

"Of course my boy! Come in please and rest. Tell me what his symptoms are exactly," Burnie said ushering the two Lads into the building and dashing for his medicine cabinet.

 

Michael and Jeremy both described the symptoms Gavin had, when they'd first started, how bad they were, and what they'd done so far to help, Burnie paying close attention to every detail, one hand over his mouth and a thoughtful look on his face as he noted everything they said, eliminating different illnesses and treatments. Finally he snapped his fingers and grabbed a small bottle of medicine from the cabinet and examined it.

 

"Here, give him a spoonful of this every six hours and then two of these aspirin every four. Make sure he's had something to eat or drink before giving him the aspirin, he needs to take it with something on his stomach," he explained. Michael and Jeremy nodded, both making a careful note.

 

"How much do we owe you?" Michael asked reaching for the money.

 

"Don't. Just tell Geoff to stop by sometime with some beer and we'll call it even. Least I can do," Burnie smiled as he stilled Michael's hand from giving him the money.

 

The two Lads thanked the doctor and dashed out the door, making the long run back to their cabin, both praying that they were in time to save Gavin.

 

Ryan stood close by and watched nervously as Geoff held Gavin's hand and Jack dabbed a cloth soaked in cool water at the lad's forehead. Jeremy and Michael had been gone an hour or so, and Ryan was beginning to grow anxious.

 

"What if something happened to them?" he asked allowed without thinking.

 

"They'll be fine Ryan. Michael won't let anything happen to Jeremy, and Jeremy will do everything he can to take care of Michael. Don't worry about them," Jack said. Ryan bit his lip and started pacing.

 

"What if Burnie doesn't have the medicine? What'll we do then? How will we help Gavin get better? What if he gets worse?" he started.

 

"Ryan shut up or I swear to god I'll lock you outside trussed up like a thanksgiving feast for the animals!" Geoff snapped at him, shooting a glare his way. Ryan huffed but remained silent, glancing nervously at the door every now and then.

 

"I should've protected them," he said after several minutes of silence. The two gents looked up at him.

 

"Ryan this isn't your fault," Jack said softly.

 

"It is Jack! If I'd just been better at watching the signs we could've treated this sooner before he got this way," Ryan cried looking down and feeling tears flood his eyes.

 

"Ryan, no one is blaming you for this. It's not your fault that Gavin got sick, that shit happens. We'll get him better I promise you. It won't be like the other times," Geoff said gently as he squeezed Ryan's arm.

 

"How do you know that Geoff? How can you be sure?" Ryan mumbled.

 

"Because I have to," the gent sighed and stood, hugging Ryan before walking to the window and gazing out. Jack offered a sympathetic look to Ryan before turning back to care for Gavin.

 

A few minutes later the two Lads burst through the door, scaring the shit out of Geoff, and held the medicine up, gasping for breath. Geoff and Jack took the meds and when the lads gave them Burnie's instructions began administering the medicine. The group watched nervously as Gavin's breathing became less burdened and a look of ease filled his face, the color beginning to return there.

 

"Thank Christ!" Jeremy exclaimed hugging Ryan tightly.

 

Michael sat down next to Gavin and smiled in relief, feeling better when Gavin opened his eyes and offered a weak smile.

 

"H-hey boi," Gavin said weakly.

 

"Hey Gavvey. Glad to see you didn't pussy out on me and die," Michael chuckled with tears in his eyes.

 

"I could never leave my boi alone," Gavin smiled back. The two held hands and Michael knew that everything would be okay.


End file.
